Press Releases
* JULY 2005 *
JULY 25TH 2005
On July 25th 2005 the Fortuna Police Department received information from Napa County Sheriff’s Office regarding a sex registrant who failed to register in Napa County five years ago, who now may be living in the City of Fortuna.
At about 5:50 PM, officers from the Fortuna Police Department responded to the 2700 block of Campton Heights Dr. and located Charles Culver, age 49. Culver was wanted on a felony warrant for failure to register as a sex offender.
Culver, who was resided in Fortuna since November 2003, was taken into custody and was charged with failing to register as a sex offender while living in the City of Fortuna.
Sex registrants must register with the Police or Sheriff’s Office of their jurisdiction on an annual basis. Culver last registered in 1998 with the City of Napa Police.
Culver was transported to the Humboldt County Jail and booked on a felony warrant for failure to register as a sex offender and fresh charges of the same offense.
By: Sgt. Bill Dobberstein
JULY 25TH 2005
On July 25th 2005, Officers from the Fortuna Police served a search warrant at a residence on the 2100 block of Scenic Dr. in Fortuna.
The warrant was part of an on-going investigation of a residential burglary at occurred in June 2005. Taken in the burglary was nearly $3,000 in jewelry. Joshua Evan Mottern, age 19 of Fortuna, was identified as a person of interest in the case by forensic evidence left at the scene.
Found at the residence on Scenic Dr. was jewelry that was taken in the burglary. Some of the stolen Jewelry had been pawned at local pawnshops and has been recovered.
Mottern, who was at the Scenic Dr. residence, was arrested and later booked into the Humboldt County Jail for Burglary and possession of Stolen Property.
Prepared By: Sgt. Bill Dobberstein
JULY 25TH 2005
On July 25th 2005 at about 10:40 AM a Fortuna Police Officer recognized a wanted Parolee at large driving a motor home on Newburg Rd. in Fortuna.
The officer stopped the motor home and arrested the Parolee, Robert Agosto Valentine, age 25 of Fortuna, without incident.
Located inside the vehicle was stolen property from a commercial Burglary that occurred on 07-24-05. Valentine was also a suspect in a theft of credit cards and fraudulent use of stolen credit cards.
Valentine was booked into the Humboldt County jail for Burglary, possession of stolen property, fraudulent use of a credit card and a parole hold.
Prepared By: Sgt. Bill Dobberstein
July 21st, 2005
On July 20th, 2005 at 11:33 AM, a Fortuna Police Officer made a traffic stop on a vehicle near the 3500 block of Church Street for a traffic violation.
The officer contacted the driver, who was identified as Dennis James, age 40 of Eureka. James was displaying signs of being under the influence of Methamphetamine. After a short investigation, James was arrested for driving under the influence of drugs and for driving on a suspended driver's license.
A search of the vehicle yielded over a quarter-ounce of crystal Methamphetamine, two scales and packaging material.
James was later transported to the Humboldt County Jail and booked for possession of a controlled substance, transportation and sales of a controlled substance, DUI and driving on a suspended drivers license.
Prepared by: Sgt. Bill Dobberstein
July 11th, 2005
On July 11th, 2005, at about 9:30 AM, Fortuna Police Officers conducted a probation search on the 2100 block of Newburg Rd. During the probation search, officers found a large amount of crystal methamphetamine packaged for sale, scales, packaging material and about one half pound of marijuana. The residence was located in a drug-free school zone, next to an elementary school.
Officers arrested Kimberly Clark-Selby, age 44, at the residence. Clark-Selby was booked into the Humboldt County Jail for possession of a controlled substance for sale, possession of a controlled substance, possession of drug paraphernalia, maintaining a drug house and violation of probation.
The Fortuna Police Department is asking for an enhancement of charges as the drug activity was being conducted in a school zone.
Prepared by: Sgt. Bill Dobberstein
July 5th, 2005
POLICE EXPLORERS GRADUATE POLICE EXPLORER ACADEMY
SEVEN OF THE FORTUNA POLICE EXPLORERS ATTENDED A FOUR DAY LONG MODERATE TO HIGH STRESS EXPLORER ACADEMY IN CRESCENT CITY, ALONG WITH OTHER EXPLORERS FROM DEL NORTE COUNTY. THE ACADEMY TAUGHT THE GROUP ABOUT INVESTIGATING SEVERAL TYPES OF CRIMES AND INCIDENTS. THEY LEARNED ABOUT EVERYTHING FROM TRAFFIC COLLISIONS TO HOMICIDES DURING THE CLASSES TAUGHT BY LAW ENFORCEMENT PROFESSIONALS. THE EXPLORERS ALSO PARTICIPATED IN DAILY PHYSICAL TRAINING THAT WAS CONDUCTED BY MILITARY OFFICERS, AS WELL AS DEFENSIVE TACTICS.
THE EXPLORERS LEARNED ABOUT MAPPING OUT CRIME SCENES AND GATHERING ENOUGH INFORMATION SO THAT THE SCENE COULD BE RECONSTRUCTED. AFTER LEARNING ABOUT INVESTIGATIONS, THE EXPLORERS PARTICIPATED IN INVESTIGATING A MOCK HOMICIDE SCENE. THE EXPLORERS WERE ALSO AWAKEN IN THE MIDDLE OF THEIR FIRST NIGHT TO RESPOND TO A MOCK ACTIVE SHOOTER CALL.
DURING THE ACADEMY THE GROUP HAD FIVE DRILL INSTRUCTORS TO KEEP THEM ON TASK. THE ACADEMY WAS PUT TOGETHER BY CRESCENT CITY POLICE OFFICER ERIC APPERSON AND THE ACADEMY WAS HELD AT THE CRESCENT ELK SCHOOL IN CRESCENT CITY.
THE SEVEN FORTUNA POLICE DEPARTMENT EXPLORERS THAT ATTENDED THE EXPLORER ACADEMY WERE, KALEE MORRIS, GARRETT TEEGARDEN, ALEX JACKSON, JORDAN SILVA, LUKE GILL, AND CODY COX.
IN 1996 THE FORTUNA POLICE DEPARTMENT STARTED ITS FIRST "POLICE EXPLORER" PROGRAM. THE EXPLORER PROGRAM INTRODUCES THE INDIVIDUAL YOUNG ADULT TO THE MANY VARIED OPPORTUNITIES AVAILABLE IN A CAREER IN LAW ENFORCEMENT.
THE EXPLORER PROGRAM IS VOLUNTEER PROGRAM DESIGNED TO GIVE THE EXPLORER A WORKING KNOWLEDGE OF POLICE FUNCTIONS AND A SENSE OF SOCIAL AWARENESS AND RESPONSIBILITY WHILE AT THE SAME TIME STIMULATING INTEREST IN LAW ENFORCEMENT PRACTICES AND CODE OF ETHICS.
ANYONE INTERESTED IN JOINING THE FORTUNA POLICE EXPLORER PROGRAM OR FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT OFFICER CHARLES ELLEBRECHT AT 725-7550
This page was last updated 07/26/2005
© City of Fortuna, 2005